Substance
by I Kill Trees
Summary: "After all she's been through, she's going to need you, Mako." Bolin was watching her, listening. And he knew. Korra would need someone too. A Non-linear Borra Collection.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Substance

Rating: M

Fandom: The Legend of Korra

Pairing: Bolin/ Korra

Words: 3,223

Summary: "After all she's been through, she's going to need you, Mako." Bolin was watching her, listening. And he knew. Korra would need someone too.

~Earth is the element of substance. The people of the earth kingdom are diverse and strong. They are persistent and enduring. ~

* * *

She's alone in her room when the need to break overcomes her. She doesn't know the time; it has passed in a blur since she went into the tunnel with Tenzin and Chief Beifong. The adrenaline has long since abated leaving an empty pit in her stomach and a faint feeling of nausea.

Fear is still so new to her, a girl taught to fight from her earliest memories, and yet never in genuine danger. The helplessness leaves her feeling violated and weak. She failed tonight, and endangered many people in her failure. Not all of them escaped and the thought that she is responsible for it is repulsive.

The moonlight shimmers over the ocean and creates a tranquility that is absolutely perverse compared to her emotional state. Suddenly, she can't stand the sight, but as Korra moves to slam the curtain closed, her hand is shaking and she stops, baffled at her own weakness.

A strong steady hand takes hold of hers and a warm arm wraps around her waist from behind, and she jumps, startled before recognitions hits. The arms are heavily muscled, but completely gentle and familiar. Soft lips brush against her neck. The newcomer hugs her tight, pressing her own hand against her chest and breathes a deep sigh that is warm and moist against her skin.

"What are you doing?" she whispers, glancing back at the sliding panel door. He has closed it behind him and she missed any sign lost in her thoughts. She can only see his dark head as he has pressed his face into the crook of her neck. "I thought you had gone to bed, Bolin."

"No way, I can sleep." He says, "I had to touch you."

She smiles brokenly and returns his awkward hug, squeezing the hand holding hers.

"Don't ever scare me like that again." He mutters, squeezing tighter.

"Bo." She grips the arm around her waist and tries to look at him, but he is holding her too tight. Instead she relaxes and tilts her head to the side. He is kissing her now, light brushes of his lips and tongue against her throat.

"You're okay." He says, whether to her or himself, she is not completely sure. "Everything is okay."

His hand releases hers, but only to travel down onto her breast. He strokes her gently through the fabric of her top and Korra's head falls back on his wide shoulder. She is confused, as he has been distant from her since she started the investigation of Hiroshi Sato. She is ashamed to admit that this had frightened her as well. She understood the anger from Mako and Asami, as much as it had hurt at the time, but the absence of Bolin's ever constant support and affection was like a punch in the gut. She presses into his touch, eager to renew the connection they only recently began to explore.

"I'm okay, Bolin." She whispers and reaches to run her fingers through his hair while he continues to lavish her neck. He pulls back, chastely kissing her cheek once more while he leaves her breast to find the hem of her shirt and slip beneath to touch her. His hands are rough and exciting as he slides across her skin.

"I heard what you said to Mako." He whispers in her ear. "I was watching you. You looked so sad."

"It wasn't…" she cut off with a hiss as a calloused thumb brushes her nipple.

"I'm sorry." He whispers in her ear and trails lips across the sensitive skin there. His hand on her breast is stroking in time with her breathing and now the hand on her waist is drawing circles on her stomach. "I didn't believe you. I'm sorry for it. I thought you were just jealous and it made me angry. I'm sorry I doubted you."

"Bolin…" she sighs, but he stops her again.

"Let me say this." He stops his stroking and she groans in protest. "We're so close to something here, and I need to tell you something. You let me do this to you," he gives a meaningful pinch against her nipple that makes her gasp, "and I know I'm something special, but I still don't know where I stand."

The hand on her stomach dips lower, fingers slip into her pants and her whole body is tense. Her fingers dig into his arm as he tickles the soft hair between her legs. He is teasing her, she knows, slowly building her up until she melts in his arms. There is hurt in his voice, and she wants to say something to reassure him, but the words won't come. In all honesty, she doesn't completely know either.

"I was jealous," He says in a voice that makes her shiver. "Of how I thought you felt. Maybe you're still confused? I don't really want to know right now. But I'm not. I'm not confused, and I'm not ready to give up. I know what I want, and I was jealous. Especially when Mako got to you first down there. I want you to need me, too."

Her heart breaks a little at his confession, but it soars as well. He's not abandoning her to her foolishness yet. He hasn't decided that she is just not worth the trouble she gives him, and she is ashamed of herself for being so pleased with this. She wishes it were easier and she was confident enough in her feelings to just be the girl he deserved. However, their current relationship was not her idea. Typical of his element, Bolin was too damn stubborn. He was the one who brought them to this, and damn it she just hadn't had the strength to stop.

In their short time as lovers, Bolin has shown her things she never imagined about her own body. As her lover, Bolin is confidant and self-assured. He is barely recognizable from the childlike man she knows during the day, except perhaps for the mischievous glint in his green eyes as he flicks his tongue against some part of her body. Now, as he presses against her, there is nothing childlike about him at all.

"I was wrong. I let you down, but I'll make it up to you."

"You didn't let me down, Bo." Korra whispers. Oh spirits! If he would just move a little lower, she knows it will feel amazing. Why won't he put her out of this misery that he has built. He is still slowly working her breast and refuses to touch her where she most needs it, but he surges his hips forward a bit to let her feel his arousal. She pulls at his arm to make him move, but he is stubborn and strong.

"You came for me." She sighs.

This must have been the right thing to say, because finally he moves. He gently cups her and rubs at her lips and suddenly it's hard to stand. He nudges her legs apart and leans back slightly to support her weight as he opens her, sliding gently from her core to the bundle of nerves that he knows will drive her crazy. He's back to her neck again, suckling and kissing. He strokes her, up and down, building pressure and speed and shallowly presses into her each time. It's driving her crazy because if feels so good, but is still not enough. She needs more, deeper, but doesn't want to stop him, so she just moans his name softly.

"I won't doubt you again." He promises. "I'll do better next time."

He says this so earnestly, Korra has to kiss him. She turns quickly, dislodging his hand, and fiercely pulls his face to hers. He doesn't resist and kisses her with just as much force. His hand grips her ass and pulls her flush against him, grinding into her with a delightful zing.

She loves his arms. They are large and strong and engulf her. The many muscles in them move beneath her hands as she rubs up from his elbows to his powerful shoulders. His back is hard and wide as she clings to him. She is climbing him to get closer, wrapping her legs around him, and he supports and lifts her, moving quickly to her untouched bed and falling on top of her.

She is frantic as she kisses him. His hands are everywhere from her back to her ass and she fumbles with the closures of his shirt, close to ripping the damn thing in the need to touch him. He is hard, and warm, and strong, and all she knows is that right now, she needs him like air.

He slows and pulls back slightly and she could kill him. He laughs at the murderous look on her face and kisses her once, with that damn twinkle in his eye. Her hands are clenched in his clothes and he gently moves them, kissing her knuckles, before slowly opening his shirt himself, button by button. His green eyes never leave her face as he smirks.

His white tank comes into view and Korra runs her palms up over the firm plains of his chest. "Talk to me, Korra." He says with a smile and holds the hands pressed against him.

She doesn't want to talk. She wants to touch and for him to touch her. She wants to get rid of clothes and have him fucking get on with it, but he is just smiling at her with twinkling eyes.

"Kiss me." She demands, and he obeys. He bends and gives her a sweet soft kiss and pulls away again as though his job is done.

"Bolin." She growls and he chuckles.

"Just tell me what you want." He says.

He is toying with her, and the spirit of competition rises in her. She can make him cave easily, in their little game; It is never that hard, but she suspects he likes it when she plays a little dirty. She smiles sinfully up at him, and imagines she can feel his heart jump beneath her hands and the knot in his throat bob. She sits up slowly and kisses his neck, leading up to his ear. His entire body shudders above her and his hands slide up her back.

"I want to you to take off your clothes and then mine. I want you to fuck me, Bolin. I want you to make me forget."

He can't stand it, as she knew he wouldn't, and he crushes her lips to his. He presses her into the bed and grinds against her while her fingers drag his shirt up. They separate only long enough to pull it over his head and then be forgotten. His skin is so hot and her hands flit over the dips and ridges of his muscles. He's fumbling with his belt, but it is hard to concentrate while kissing her and her hands driving him crazy.

Finally! He is free and together, they slide his pants down his thickly muscled legs and he awkwardly kicks them off and across the room. He his standing in front of her, fully at attention, in only a thin pair of shorts and the sight makes her quiver.

"I love the way you look." She murmurs. He smiles at her, his eyes are dark in the dim light. He kisses her as he grabs her shirt and pulls it up.

"Takes one to know one, beautiful." He purrs as the garment comes over her head. He loves her breasts. As soon as she's free of the tight fitting shirt, his hands cover her and he lowers his mouth to a dusky colored peak. Gods, he's good at this! She throws her head back as electricity course through her body from where his lips and tongue touch her. She is helpless but to thread her fingers through his black hair and ride the pleasure he is giving her. Absently, she notes his attempts to unknot the fur cloak and ties keeping her remaining clothes in place. She only has the presence of mind to raise her hips to help the process, kicking to try and untangle fabric and footwear bunched around her ankles.

Bolin pulls away to help her, removing the last vestiges of clothing from her body and kisses the inside of her calves and then climbing her. She watches him crawl up her body, dragging his lips and tongue along her legs as he goes. He is watching her writhing body with utter fascination and something deeper that makes liquid heat pool in her stomach. She feels absolutely beautiful as he gazes at every inch of bare skin and she has no secrets from him. He kisses her hip bone and glances up at her with raised brows and she quickly shakes her head. Not now. She doesn't want that now. She only wants him, and he understands. When did he learn to read her so well? He climbs higher, running large hands over her breasts and slowly, so slowly, he lays down beside her. She turns with him and he brushes the hair away from her eyes. The way he's looking at her steals her words. She hugs him close and breathes him in. His natural sent is clouded with the smell of sex and his erection twitches against her thigh. It is both sweet and dirty all at once.

"You're okay." He whispers, and Korra knows that he needs something from her at this moment as well.

She nuzzles his neck and reaches down, into his shorts, and takes him in her hand. He groans deeply and head falls to her shoulder. He is hot and heavy against her palm and she circles her fingers around him, marveling at the hardness beneath the soft skin. She circles the tip with her thumb, pressing at his opening and spreading the drop of moisture she finds there and the circles around, gently scratching at the underside with her nail.

He moans her name and she strokes him to the base, taking his sac in her palm. She kneads him gently and uses a knuckle to press up in the skin behind. "Fuck." He groans and she loves reducing him to this. He is thick, like the rest of his body, and her excitement builds at the thought of what is to come. She is sucking and biting along his neck and his breathing is shallow, littered with whispered endearments of how amazing she is.

"No more." He begs, trying to catch her lips. "I can't take much more."

Tonight, she wants control, and he seems content to allow her to do as she likes. She presses against his shoulder and he easily rolls to his back, griping her waist to bring her with him. She sits astride him with his cock pressing against her cheeks, and he wiggles his butt trying to shimmy out of his shorts completely. It is absurd and she can't hold in the snort at his concentration. She gazes at him fondly with laughing eyes and he grins back up at her. Korra can't help but kiss him in that moment and he meets her half-way. Bolin has brought her out of the darkness of her thoughts to sitting naked astride him and shaking with repressed laughter. Warmth bubbles in her heart and she hesitates to give it a name. There are too many factors left in play to assign a title to the happiness that he gives her.

In their kissing, Bolin rolls his hips and prods against her entrance, and suddenly, things don't seem nearly as funny. The kiss changes and he slowly runs his hands up and down her sides, stroking the sides of her breasts, building a fire inside her, but otherwise does not move. At this moment, he gives her all the power. He is hers to do with as she pleases: her willing possession and she is afraid of the intensity. She slowly pushes back and down, taking him in, all the way in. She lets him fill her and his eyes roll back into his head. She is whole as she sits against him, knowing his cock is touching the deepest parts of her body. No one has ever done this to her, only Bolin.

"You're incredible." She praises, but he can't answer her. His mind has no room left for words.

She clenches reflexively around him and rolls her hips forward. He is clutching at her hips like a lifeline as he moves with her. She can feel the electricity in her veins every time she moves and she knows it won't be long. He is hitting just right as she glides back and forth over his body and the friction where their bodies join is absolutely delicious. He moves a hand to stimulate her while she rides him and she can already feel the pressure building.

Bolin is biting down on his lip and she knows he is close, but she has faith that he won't let her down. She grinds him faster and faster, panting and writhing on top of him. She is out of her mind and falls forward on her hands for support. He is there and laps at her swinging breasts, slamming his hips up in time with her movements to touch deeper.

"Bo, Please." She begs into his ear and he wraps his arms around her waist and frantically slams into her. The friction is enough and light explodes behind her eyes. Her body snaps tight, arching up and her mouth forms a perfect 'O' but no sound escapes. Bolin is in a frenzy below her, desperately pounding, and he's prolonging her orgasm while she rides the waves of fantastic, rythmic spasms. When he joins her, it is with a muffled cry of ecstasy in her shoulder and twitching inside her. She collapses onto him, unable to support the weight of her own body while he lazily pumps into her once, and then twice, and then lays still. He his panting in her hair and she kisses his collarbone.

Everything is heavy, her arms and head, but Bolin kisses her face over and over. He rolls them onto their sides and pulls her close, cradling her head on his shoulder. He is hugging her fiercely, his arms clinging to her like a pentapus and she doesn't want this moment to end. They lay naked and tangled and completely sated in each other's arms as their breathing gradually returns to normal. At other times, there is talk at this moment. Light hearted banter and praise, but it feels wrong to break the stillness. Eventually, he will need to dress and leave for his own room. They will go back to their regular interactions in front of the others, but right now, she feels cherished and protected and she is hesitant to let that go.

He breaks the silence first, with an odd resolve filling his voice.

"I'm here, Korra." He makes her a promise. "I'm always right here. Everything's okay."

She doesn't have the words to thank him, but she hopes he understands what is in her heart. She falls asleep listening to his steady heartbeat with her head on his chest.


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Not That You'll Need It

Rating: M

Words: 1,351

Summary: Korra needs time to think. Bolin is nothing but hospitable.

Note: This entry is inspired by and shares a title with the fabulous artwork of xcgirl08. It can be seen on deviantart or tumblr under the title.

* * *

"This is not giving me time to think." Korra mutters around his lips.

Bolin grins and trails open mouth kisses across her cheek to her ear and sucking gently at the skin there, salty from exercise.

"Sure, I am." He quips and grazes her pulse point with his teeth.

He has her perched on a low table in the training room: not the most private of settings as there is no true door to block the view of any random passer-by. Anyone is free to walk in on them at any moment and see the Avatar half out of a pro-bending uniform, covered from the waist up in only chest wrapping and her teammate between her knees with his shirt half way gone. It's dangerous, and he loves it: as though a heavy make-out session with Korra didn't get his heart pumping enough as it is.

"I'm just looking out for my own interests here. I said I'd let you think, and I meant it." He meets her eyes with a grin. "I need to make sure you're thinking of me, and I'm giving you a little help to make sure that happens."

Bolin kisses her swollen lips and presses his tongue lightly against the tips of her teeth. She shudders against him and he feels it through every point where his body is pressed to hers. He pulls away and waits for her to open her eyes, dark with her arousal. Her hair is a mess from where he has grabbed it and her skin is flushed from her cheeks to her chest. The rosy hue disappears beneath the white bandages that hide her from his eyes.

"Not that you'll need it, of course." And she rolls her eyes.

Her lip juts out at him in a pout that is becoming very familiar and before she can yell at him, he dives into her again.

Korra is a quick study. He knew this of course, witnessing first-hand how quickly she picked up new moves the night they met. She pulls his bottom lip between her teeth and nibbles and he wonders just how in the hell she learned to drive him crazy like that. She is wild and un-inhibited and a force of nature that sweeps him away with her.

She breaks away from panting and arches her lovely neck back. He kisses along her collar bone, so invitingly close, and wonders if she would mind if he left a mark. No one would see it beneath the high collar of her shirt, but he would know it was there, and Korra would be reminded of who was responsible when she undressed. He hardens painfully and his balls clench and there's no way she doesn't feel it, pressed intimately against her thigh. He forces air deep in his lungs and lists the different earth technical fouls in his head until he can think more clearly.

"I liked it better when you were sweet and unassuming." She grumbles at him, but he doesn't believe it. She looks at him through thick lashes and it is not a glare meant to drive him away. Her hands are digging into the muscles of his shoulders and he quickly flexes, making his biceps roll and watches the appreciation in her face. He presses his advantage, pulling her close.

"I'm still sweet." He informs her. His hands rub up and down her sides, barely brushing against the sides of her flattened breasts.

"We're supposed to be friends." She argues.

"I am still your friend." He says and sucks on the skin just above the bandage. It is getting red and raised with his attentions.

"I don't know what I need to do." Her voice becomes almost desperate and he looks up into her impossibly blue eyes. She stares back into his own and he can see she is uncertain, maybe even a little afraid, but still defiant. She is challenging him and it is sexy as hell.

"You just need to feel, Korra." He doesn't mean to sound so serious, but he has never meant anything more. "Let yourself enjoy it so that you can know what you want. I'm not planning on backing down."

"Spirits," she says. "You're impossible!"

Bolin gives her a smug smile. "Am not." He purrs in her ear. "I'm selfish."

"You're not, Bo." She says but he cuts her off with chaste kiss.

"Oh, I am." he corrects. He nuzzles the skin of her ear, trying to work her up again. "If I wasn't, I'd have backed off; left you alone. Let you figure things out all by yourself. But that's not going to happen."

He's rubbing her sides again, trailing his thumbs over the swells of her breasts. Her breathing is getting faster and shallow. She isn't even trying to keep her eyes open, but he knows she's listening, hanging on his words. He brushes his nose against her, waiting for her to look in his eyes, before he continues, and blearily, she does.

"I want you off balance." He says and he's so close, he's brushing her lips as he speaks. "I don't even want to give you the chance to think about anybody else."

To drive it home, he circles his thumbs over her covered nipples, and she moans beautifully.

Korra grabs him by the hair and yanks him to her mouth, wrapping her arms around his head with a possessiveness that thrills him. She is dominating the kiss and he lets her lead, enjoying being washed along with her. She's passionate and strong and so fucking responsive; he is finding it harder and harder to focus on anything but her soft lips and probing tongue. She wraps a leg around his hips and digs her foot into his ass, pulling him against her and his hips surge forward on their own. He grinds against her and it is too good, way too good.

Warning bells sound in his head and if this is going to stop, he has to stop it now. He doesn't have the time to do this properly, and he is not prepared to ravish Korra in the training room. Not yet, anyway. That is a fantasy that he is sure he will explore later.

Korra is not making that easy, however, and he's gripping the table with white knuckles as her curves mold against him. Her hands tug at the tight red undershirt that still covers his upper body and her nails scrape against his abs. The jolt goes straight to his cock and her hips roll against his, and he's about to lose it. Time's up, and he jerkily pulls away, giving her a series of hard, yet chaste kisses to cool the fire in his blood. She's not happy with this and fights to deepen the kiss. Her fingers tangle in his hair and she tries to pull him in again. "Easy." He mutters when he can to soothe her. "Easy."

"What's wrong?" she asks and leans her forehead against his.

"Nothing." He says, and kisses her face. "It's all too right, is the problem."

Her shirt is at his feet and as he bends to grab it for her, he presses one last sweet, chaste kiss against her lips. He presses the wrinkled fabric in her hands and away the tension in her arms. She's too damn attractive with her wide eyes, messy hair, and red welt on her chest. He hopes the water is cold upstairs.

"I need to stop now before I do something very ungentlemanly."

She snorts at him. "Oh yes," she says. "You're chivalry is unmatched."

"Of course!" His solemn nod is underappreciated as she is too busy redressing to see it properly. "Besides, a boy has to be careful. I can't have you taking advantage of my innocence and naivety."

She swats at him with a laugh, and he pulls her off the table by the hand and leads her back towards the open walkway and the waiting world. She's arguing his innocence but her eyes twinkle at him. He doesn't let go of her hand.

::Reviews are Bolin eyebrows waggles.::


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Spark

Rating: M

Pairing: Bolin/ Korra

Words: 4,558

Summary: Bolin and Korra come to an understanding, of sorts. Korra really doesn't know what she's gotten herself in to.

* * *

"There's no different angle, no clever solution, no trickety-trick that's going to move that rock. You've got to face it head on.

* * *

He isn't looking at her. He's sitting on the same bench where she healed his shoulder. Where he looked at her with large, sad eyes, and said that he forgave her. It should have been enough, but to Korra, the words felt hollow. He is leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, absently tapping his fingers together, and looking anywhere but at her. She knows that if she walks away now it will be the wrong thing. Mako is gone; he escaped soon after the Wolfbats' match, when the room had become tense, leaving them to their own discord.

Korra leans against the wall, waiting for an end to this tension, whatever that entails. He could scream at her; she wouldn't blame him. Although, if it comes down to it, she'll probably end up screaming right back, without thinking about her words and saying something that makes it all so much worse. They could scream and each walk out in disgust and that would be the end of it.

He'd never even miss her.

But that doesn't fit. She can't even picture sweet, happy Bolin turning on her with fire in his eyes, pointing out her of selfishness and stupidity, which in all honesty, she thinks he has a right to do. She can't imagine him speaking to her snidely, voice full of hurt and anger, as he accuses her of mistreatment: of using him to get closer to his brother. She's already weathered this accusation once. She could deny it again if that's what he needed.

Her moping is pathetic and she shoves herself away from the wall. Why should she be insecure when he's already forgiven her? She's apologized to him and she meant it. Everything is fine! They can go back to being friends without having to deal with any of this 'feelings' nonsense that she honestly does not have the time for anyway. She blames the air-babies for the mess she has created for herself. Them and their damn dragons and rainbows and whatever the hell other nonsense they hurled at her to make her such a mess.

There is room next to him. She wonders if he would flinch away from her if she took it. Angry at herself for being such a damn coward, she rebels against the nervousness and steps towards the bench. If he pulls away, she'll just grab him. She'll hold him down and sit on him if she has to, but this is going to stop. He can scream if he needs to, she'll put up with it as long as she can.

Defiantly, she plops down next to him. Her arms cross over her chest and her lip juts out in a pout. She stares at him out of the corner of her eye, but keeps her face turned out towards the dark ring and the quickly emptying stadium. He doesn't pull away, just gives a quiet sigh, and Korra lets out the breath she was holding.

"Hey." He mutters beside her. She blinks, and turns towards him.

"Hey." She says quietly, and it's the only thing she can think to say, but finally, he looks at her. Bright green eyes are clear and kind, and muscles that have been clenched for what seems like forever relax.

"How's the shoulder." She gestures vaguely to his open collar and exposed flesh. There is a bruise, dark and angry, but he is able to roll it without a grimace.

"Better." He smiles. "Much better. Thanks for that."

"Not a problem." She is struggling for words now, desperate to keep this going. He just smiles gently and looks back at his feet and she can't help herself from getting right to the point.

"Why aren't you mad at me?" she says in a rush and he cocks a thick brow at her.

"Mad at you?" He asks and she nods.

"Korra," he sighs, "There's nothing to be mad about, not with you, anyway." He's fidgeting again, and she grabs his hand to make him stop. Surprised green eyes glance at her, but he squeezes her hand back. "It just kind of sucks, you know?" He says.

"I'm sorry." She says and he shrugs.

"I know. You already said so." He grins at her. "We're okay, Korra. Stop worrying."

"I just think you should, I don't know, yell at me or something." She shuffles her feet awkwardly and she hears him chuckle.

"That wouldn't do me any good, would it?" he says. "Nothing gets a girl to like you like throwing a tantrum."

He's joking, of course, but Korra deflates a little. "I'm fine, Korra." He rubs his thumb over her fingers as he says it. "I just really like you, is all. And I really do think you're amazing." He is open and honest and not the least embarrassed by his words. "I'm not going to lie. If you wanted me the same way, it would be the best thing that ever happened, but it doesn't change the way I feel because you don't."

"You were mad at Mako." She says quietly. "It was more my fault than his."

"Mako is my brother." His voice is low. "And he kissed the girl he knew I liked." He is still holding her hand in his and rubbing her fingers. "There's no way I'm not going to be mad at that, but he's my brother. We're going to be fine, no matter what."

They are quiet for a few minutes. The last of the spectators have filed out of the stands and the overhead lights power down one-by-one, leaving them in the pale light of the moon through the glass ceiling and the dim bulb in the locker room.

"I'm not too happy with myself, either." He mutters and she looks at him questioningly. "Can I ask you something?" He asks and she nods gently. "I've been replaying stuff in my head, over and over, trying to see where I missed it. That night, I know we had fun, but I could have sworn there was something else there. I could have sworn it wasn't just me."

She doesn't know what to say, but he doesn't give her the chance.

"I'm sorry." He says, letting go of her hand and waving off his statement. Her palm is a little cold without him. "I shouldn't have brought that up. Obviously it was just me. I get it. I really do. Forget I said anything."

"Bo…" she tries, but he keeps rambling.

"Mako's a great guy, believe me I know, but I don't get it. You two haven't really seemed to get along, so I was just really shocked."

"Nothing is going on with Mako." She says. He needs to know, and he stops. "We're just going to be friends. Nothing is going to happen."

"Can't say I'm not glad to hear it." He sighs. "That would be really awkward."

"Yeah," she says. "I'm not sure what I was even thinking. I mean, he has a girlfriend."

"That he does." Bolin nods.

"I'm not that kind of girl." She rounds on him, feeling the need to defend herself.

"Never thought you were." He says and her fire dies before it ever really got started.

"I was just stupid." She sighs. "I just got so caught up in this thing, this spark, that I stopped thinking. It never should have happened like that. I should have let it go." Or thrown herself in a volcano, but she keeps this thought to herself.

Bolin neither agrees with, nor corrects her. He does, however, snort.

"What?" she says, genuinely perplexed. She doesn't think she said anything funny.

"Nothing." He says too quickly.

"No, what?" she presses and bends down to look in his face. "What's funny?"

"Sorry," he chuckles, "It's just, spark? With Mako?" He stops there, no closer to clarification, but his shoulders are still shaking.

"What of it?" she's a little annoyed now. This has been eating her up for so long that it's plain insulting for him to find it amusing.

"It's just," he has the decency to look a little apologetic, "the guy folds his underwear."

She doesn't really know what to say to that, and Bolin keeps right on laughing.

"He folds _my _underwear, too." Maybe if she hits him, he'll knock it off, but before she can try the plan, he scoops up her hand again. "Never thought that would be a sexy trait. I'll have to try it out next laundry day."

She shoves her shoulder into his, but she's laughing now too. She leans against him, comfortable, and threads her fingers through his. She leans her head against his shoulder and a calm happiness buzzes through her skin. He leans his head against hers.

"So, no spark, huh?" he asks quietly. "That's rough."

"It's different with you." She says and looks at their joined hands. "With you, it's all easy and fun, like sledding on fresh snow."

"I do like sledding." He nods solemnly. "When I was a kid, I'd drag spare panels off old shipping crates up the capital building stairs." He raises is free arm and shows her a faint white sliver in the flesh on the inside his forearm. "It's a ton of fun until your sled breaks and you crash."

"There weren't many kids back home." She says. "Master Katara used sneak out of the compound with me. It drove the White Lotus guards crazy, but there wasn't much they could say to her. She made sure I got to play, instead of training all the time, and she was really good at catching penguins."

"Penguins?" He asks.

"For sledding." She clarifies.

"Wait." Bolin drops her hand and turns on the bench, straddling it, so he is facing her fully. "Sledding, with penguins?"

"On penguins." She says, confused at why this is so hard for him.

"So let me get this straight." He says. "You and Master Katara, greatest water bender alive, wife of the legendary Avatar Aang, used to sneak out and capture innocent penguins, just so you could use them as a sled."

"Um, yes?" she says.

"Korra, that's horrible!" Now he yells, but it's ruined by the booming laughter.

"It is not!" She yells back. "It's fun! All kids in the South Pole grow up penguin sledding."

"It's animal abuse!" There's no reasoning with him when he's like this. He is laughing so hard, she can see tears build in his eyes. She crosses her arms, fully intending to glare at him until he gathers the manners to pull himself together. Instead, he grabs her behind the neck and drags her forward, placing a firm kiss on her pouting lips. She freezes against him and a jolt zings from her mouth down her spine.

He lets go of her immediately and quickly backs away. His previous hysteria is replaced by a panicked, shamed expression and he holds his hands out in front of him. "I'm sorry!" he shouts. "I don't know why I did that. I'm so sorry." He jumps from the bench and begins pacing around the tiny room. She raises as well, her hand coming up to touch her mouth. She wants to tell him that it is alright, but she has yet to regain the ability to create words.

"Oh Spirits," he says, clenching his hands in his hair, "Oh fuck me, I'm such an idiot!" His helmet is on the floor and he kicks it into the opposite wall with a crash. She jumps slightly, watching it ricochet and roll on the ground. "Why would I fucking do that?" he seethes. "It was just so funny, and you are just so amazing, and I didn't think, and damn it! You don't even feel it."

His face is absolutely miserable when he turns to her. He walks to her slowly, eyes full of sorrow and her heart is breaking. "I'm just fooling myself, aren't I?" he sounds like he is begging. "Of course I am. You already told me that. You don't feel it with me. You felt it with Mako, but not with me: not your fault, happens all the time, actually. It's all my fault, because you're so damn amazing, and I never even had a shot." He is standing in front of her, looking broken, and Korra would do anything to take away his pain.

She lurches forward and pulls his face to hers. She sees his eyes open wide and he jerks back. The implications of what she has done begin to hit her, and her panic grows as she watches his face shift from shock, to disbelief, to blinding joy.

"Thank the spirits." He breathes and swoops down on her. He hugs her tight and kisses her like she is the most precious thing he has ever held, a hand coming to cradle her head from behind.

"Wait." she pants, turning her head away from his ecstatic eyes. "Wait. That wasn't what you think it was."

"You can't take that back." He says, a beautiful smile threatening to break his face. "You did it, and that's all that matters."

And he kisses her again. His lips are gentle and demanding and he backs her up against the wall. He protects her head with his hand and pulls her close against his body. He nips at her lips softly with his teeth and her entire body shudders. Korra jerks her face away, causing his lips to meet her cheek. He makes the most of this, however and drags his mouth and tongue up to her ear.

"Bolin, this needs to stop. We need to talk." She says frantically.

She grips his shoulders and pushes him away, and he doesn't fight it. His arms leave her body, but trail along her arms. He catches her hands and pulls them up to his lips.

"We need to talk about this: what just happened." She says, trying to remain calm. "It doesn't mean what you think it means."

"You kissed me." He says, "I kissed you back, and now you can't tell me there isn't any spark there. I won't believe you."

"I don't know why I kissed you."

"Because you wanted to." He says.

"I don't know what I want!" she yells, and he doesn't say anything. She looks into his eyes, and for once, can't place the emotion there.

"Do you like me, Korra." He asks quietly. "Please tell me."

"I don't know," She says. "Maybe? I'm really confused right now. I need to think about this."

"I can handle confused." He says. "What are you confused about."

"Everything." She says. "I don't know what is going on with this." She gestures to the space between the two of them. "I thought I knew how I felt, but now it's like I don't know anything. I didn't think, and I messed up again, and we were just getting back to normal again."

"Hey," he says and pulls her in for a hug. "Calm down. Everything is okay. We're still okay."

"But we're not." She protests. "It's different now, and I don't know if we can go back."

"I'm actually kind of fine with that." He says into her hair and she can't help the distressed snort that escapes through her nose. He's rubbing up and down her back and she hugs his neck, burying her nose above his shoulder and breathing him in.

"So what happens now?" she asks against his skin. She must be tickling him, because he shudders, and holds her tighter.

"That's up to you." There is an odd quality to his voice, like he is thirsty.

"Don't suppose we can forget this happened?" she asks hopefully.

"I don't think that's possible."

Korra sighs and pulls away from his shoulder, but not out of the embrace. She looks into his eyes, which are searching hers. "I think I need to think this through, Bolin." She tells him and he shrinks in on himself. "I've messed up too much by just jumping into things blindly, and I don't want to mess up any more with you."

"You can't mess up with me." He says gently, cupping her cheek.

"Can we please just back it up a little? Stay Friends?" She asks, leaning into his touch. "No dating and no rules: I don't think I can handle that right now. I haven't had many friends, and I don't want to lose you."

"You can't." he searches her face. "I promise you can't." He just hugs her close, rubbing her back and stroking her hair. It feels wonderful and she lets herself relax into him. She does not know how long they stand there, enjoying the quiet and the feel of each other. His touch I steady and his breath washes over her skin. He places a chaste and feather-light kiss against her cheek and squeezes her tight before he pulls away, gazing at her as though he has decided something.

"Alright, Korra." He says in a determined and confident tone. "I've got some things that need to be addressed before we go any further."

"Um," she stammers, "Okay, sure. Like what, exactly?" There is a wicked twinkle in his eye and she wonders what he is up to.

"First, I need you to talk to me. If you change your mind, you have to tell me. If you want me to shove off, you have to tell me. If I'm just pissing you off and you want to hit me, you have to tell me. I need to know what's going on in your head."

She giggles a little and nods. "I think I can do that."

"Good." He says. "Second, there must be no more of the Mako business, especially so long as you're confused and he is dating someone else. This is not open to renegotiation so long as either of those stipulations is in effect. If you're not interested in me, that's fine, as long as you communicate. But I can't be blindsided like that again. We leave my brother out of it and the previous event will henceforth be known as Unspeakable #1."

"I already told you," she says quietly. "Nothing is going to happen there."

"Just promise me." He says and nuzzles the side of her face.

"Okay." She whispers and he hugs her again. "Number 1?" she asks.

"I fully expect us to come up with a few more." He says and she laughs.

"Third," he whispers in her ear. "I will try to win you over. I promise that I will not bribe, guilt, or nag you, but I will employ such persuasive techniques that I deem necessary to change your mind."

"What kind of 'techniques' are you talking about?" She says with a sad smile.

"I'd be happy to demonstrate." He grins, before he leans down once more and kisses her. He is pressing into her sweetly, licking gently at her lips so that she gasps. He takes the opportunity to deepen the kiss and she is clinging to him as she tentatively moves her lips against his. When she responds, Korra can swear she feels him smiling, but she can't be bothered to check. The protective pads beneath his uniform and hers prevent her from feeling his body, but this is probably a good thing. Her mind is clouding with the sensations he has created. Slowly, he eases back, pressing a series of kisses against her lips before he presses his forehead against hers with a sigh.

"Something like that." He whispers and she shivers.

"I'm not going to be able to figure anything out if you're just going to constantly assault me with _'the feelings'_ until I submit." she says.

He laughs breathlessly. "Way to make it sound like a disease." He kisses her temple and she doesn't respond, because honestly, it doesn't deserve a rebuttal. "Not all the time." He says. "Just sometimes: when you need it."

"Need it?" she asks.

The grin he gives her is positively evil. He kisses her cheek again, and works his way to her ear, nipping and licking the whole way. He sucks gently on the shallow dip of her jaw and her head falls to the side to let him. "When you need reminding that we," he says. "You and I, have 'spark.' We've got it in boat loads. " He is sucking along her neck and his hands sweep over her front, over the pads so that she can't feel him and she hates them now. There is a fire in her stomach that is slowly growing and she grabs his face and forces him to kiss her.

He has no complaints as she presses up and against him. She is imitating his movements, delighting in the tiny whimpers he makes in his throat when she strokes his tongue with her own. It's exciting, this feeling of power and helplessness, push and pull and she falls into it like water. Her fingers run through his hair and she scratches his scalp. He hisses and pushes her up against the wall again. He braces himself on his hands, placed on either side of her head, and looks into her eyes.

"You're dangerous." He whispers, and she just kisses him again. The pads are driving her crazy now, and she tugs at them. He seems surprised, but slowly, he moves to help her, unclasping and pulling the protective equipment from beneath his shirt. She feels the hardness of his muscles below the fabric and explores his bumps and grooves. His hands rub up and down her sides and it feels like he is shaking. She wiggles against him, wanting to feel his touch, but his hand just presses flat against her stomach. She meets his eyes and he is uncertain, afraid as he tentatively un-tucks her uniform and tugs gently on her pads. They come lose and drop to the floor, and she can feel him through the thin fabric of the undershirt.

"Do you," he is so quiet she almost misses it and he swallows thickly before trying again. "Do you trust me, Korra?"

"She doesn't understand the intensity in his eyes, but she nods and he kisses her.

"I want to try something." He whispers. "Tell me to stop, and will, okay?"

"Okay." She sighs. He is rubbing circles into her stomach and she meets his lips willingly. It is soft and sweet and she gasps as his hand dips into the waistband of her pants. He is definitely shaking now and she goes completely stiff as he brushes against her. He stays still, letting her push him away if she wants, but she's baffled by her body's reaction. The fire inside her smolders and an unfamiliar ache is building between her legs. Her skin is hyper-sensitive as though she has been numb her whole life and only now knows what is like to feel things.

He doesn't have much room to move, so she drops her hand to cover his. He stiffens, and she realizes he is waiting for her to stop it. Instead, she plucks at her own drawstring, allowing the waist to open and free him. His kiss is more aggressive now, and he when he lowers his hand, it is maddeningly slow. He brushes her curls and Korra is breathless with anticipation. His finger grazes over her in such a light caress she gives a cry into his mouth. He traces her, gradually adding pressure to his touch until he strokes between the lips. His fingers are smooth and wet as he glides from her core to clit and it feels so incredibly better than anything she has ever felt before.

She hugs him close and eagerly returns his kisses. He moves slowly, comforting her with his mouth and torturing her with his hand. At the end of his strokes, he presses up and shallowly enters with the tip of a finger. She gasps and digs into her nails into his shoulder and fights to open her eyes. He is watching her with fire in his eyes, checking on her as she tries to pull herself together. His eyes stay locked on hers as he presses into her again, past the tip, and fills her with his finger. He brushes against her from the inside and she groans in miserable ecstasy. He kisses her face and holds her steady while she is in chaos.

"Are you okay?" He says gently, his voice sultry and full of warmth. She nods to him. "Stay with me." He urges and slowly begins to pump in and out of her. Her breathing is a mess, coming only in irregular and shallow bursts and her eyes are clenched shut against the onslaught. He stays next to her face, placing tender kisses on her temple and cheek to soothe her. He finds that tiny bundle of nerves and presses against it with his thumb, rubbing in time with his pumping fingers. He builds her up, stroke by stroke and she's writhing against him.

His shoulders drop in front of her, and she falls forward with the lack of support. She looks down, surprised to see him smiling at her as he sinks to his knees in front of her. His eyes share a secret with her as he pulls at her pants, lowering them, and exposing her. It's hard to keep standing, but somehow, she manages with the help of his arm across her stomach. He kisses her then while his fingers continuing to rub her insides and he meets her shocked gaze again. He is absolutely smug as he quickly flicks her with his tongue and her eyes roll back in her head. Her hands dig into his hair and he presses his mouth against her, sucking and working her with his tongue.

It's too much. It's all too much and with a broken cry, she feels herself shatter. Her entire body spasms and her legs give out from beneath her, sending her sliding down the wall and into his lap. He crushes her against his chest and mutters gentle words in her ear. She comes down slowly, clenching his clothing in her fists and panting against his neck. Her body tingles all over, as though she has been struck by lightning.

Eventually, as her breathing and heart slow, the heat leaves her blood and she colors at the intimacy she has shared. Bolin just strokes her back, seemingly unaffected and she lets out a great breath and forces herself to relax. He meets her eyes and offers her a tender smile and she returns it, before she snuggles into his chest. He hugs her tight and kisses her hair.

"So that's how you plan to convince me?" she mummers into his skin.

"Something like that." He says.

"How are you so calm?" she asks and can feel him laugh.

"I'm trying to keep myself from dancing around the room." He says happily. "I don't think you'd find that very attractive.

"I've never felt anything like that." She admits, laughing as well. "Not sure I can take it."

"You'll be fine." He says gently. "It gets even better, Korra. Trust me."

"I trust you, Bo." She says.

"Good." He kisses her cheek. "Because that's only the beginning."


	4. Chapter 4

Title: Refraction

Rating: M

Pairing: Bolin/ Korra

Words: 3,077

Summary: Bolin has something else in mind as well.

* * *

"I have something a little more exciting in mind."

Asami leaves first, after speaking to the butler about making arrangements in a quiet, yet rapid voice. She's a very sweet girl, Bolin thinks, perhaps a little reserved, but there she seems just a little more animated while planning to entertain the avatar, and it makes him smile. He catches Mako's eye and the brothers share their amusement at the heiress' subdued enthusiasm with a grin and a quick cock of a brow. His brother wades to the edge and hefts himself out of the water, excuses himself courteously, and waves to Korra as he walks past her. Korra smiles politely and her eyes stay on Mako for an entirely appropriate amount of time before she looks away, her expression neutral and controlled. They are perfectly proper and purposefully distant; Bolin feels a nauseated heave deep in his gut.

He stretches theatrically in the water, floating on his back and placing his hands behind his head with an exaggerated sigh. He kicks a small splash and rolls his shoulders to stretch his chest. It works beautifully and Korra's proper attitude slips as she snorts at him. Her blue eyes sparkle with laughter like the light flashing in the water he disturbs. He winks at her, because he can, and no one else will know what it means.

"You coming, Bo?" Mako has stopped at the door and is looking at him with a raised eyebrow as he lazes in the cool water.

"You go ahead." He waves his hand absently in the air. "I'll be along."

"You're going to be wet for whatever we're doing." Mako chides him.

"I'm fine." He groans and pulls himself back to a stand. The water reaches midway to his chest and his arms float along the surface, skimming the tiny waves. "I'll just hang out with Korra for a bit while you guys get ready. I'll catch up later." He nods to the lady and smirks. "Besides, my man over there can always help me out again, right?" He grins at the harried butler who minutely twitches around his eyes.

"My apologies, Master Bolin." The man says, not sounding remotely sorry. "I must see to the request of Miss Sato, if you will please excuse me." He doesn't wait for a response and breezes quickly past Mako who is still partially blocking the door. Korra is shaking with small, repressed laughs, and her face clearly says to him, _Look what you did. _Mako rolls his eyes and waves over his shoulder as he steps out and heads towards the changing rooms.

"Alone at last." He flirts to the unaffected girl shaking her head at him.

She looks at him with a brow cocked high and he grins up at her through his wet hair. "The water really is great." He says. "You should enjoy it while you can."

"I'm good, thanks." She says and gestures towards the choppy surface. From her bench seat she pulls a knee in to her chest and loosely hugs it. Her eyes flicker around the splendid room. "Water is nothing new for me, so I don't think I'll be missing much."

"Oh, but that's where you're wrong." He says gravely. "This is indeed special; possibly the greatest small body of water you're likely to find in our lifetimes! To let it go to waste is a crime against the industry that created this masterpiece of stone and fluid."

"And just what is so special about this particular pool?" she asks, resting her head against her knee.

"It is special because right now, this pool has me." he smirks at her and wags his eyebrows, "And hopefully soon, it will also have you, and that would make it spectacular."

With a graceful movement, a wall of water suddenly hits him from behind, knocking him forward and under. He surfaces and shakes the hair from his face and wipes a hand across his eyes. When he catches her eyes again, he is grinning, but she is watching him curiously. A half-smile plays across her lips and her eyes are intense and unreadable. Bolin is caught in indecision as she studies him, and finally, slowly, she stands. He is frozen in her gaze and when her hands drop to the ties of her fur, his heart begins to pound.

He wants to look confident and controlled, but the lump in his throat is threatening to choke him. Her fur wrap falls to the tile and pants slip to show him the dark skin of her beautifully muscled legs. She kicks them away and walks slowly to the tiles edge, coming to him. Her arms cross over her stomach and grip the edges of her tight shirt and pull it up over her flat stomach and over her head. He gulps at the gleam in her eyes as she watches his face. She undresses for him, stalks towards him, and though he dared her to do it, he isn't quite prepared for it. He is the pursuer. He goes to her. He initiates contact.

This is new.

She stands gloriously naked in front of him, and with a grin, dives into the crystal water. He watches the shadow of her body glide gracefully across the pool before she surfaces again, not far, but still slightly out of reach. The distorted image of her body dances beneath tiny waves and she is beautiful. Her arms sway listlessly below the surface, creating gentle currents that flow over his skin and his hardness is becoming uncomfortable.

"Well now," he says, "Can't say I was completely expecting that."

"I didn't bring a suit," she says, and no one should be allowed to be so smug. "Hope you don't mind."

"No, no." he coughs into a fist and swallows thickly, trying desperately to overcome the unfamiliar nerves that spasm in his chest. "That's perfectly fine." She is smiling at his unease and he struggles to pull himself together. He needs to be confident and alluring, but it's hard.

She floats gracefully, her arms dancing beneath the water. The water flows with her so perfectly that he wonders if she is even trying to bend, or if in fact, she is just so natural in her element that it comes without conscious effort, drawn to her. He feels the pull and is drawn in as well, slowly coming nearer, and lost in impossible blue.

"So now you've got me here," she says, "what next?"

He blushes a bit and admits, "I haven't got that far yet." Water flows around him, and through his legs, and he knows it has to be on purpose. She grins devilishly at him and he feels a twitch in his groin, and he fights within his head to get it together.

He can do this.

He comes to stand in front of her, looking down into her confident expression that could very likely end him. A thin barrier of cool water separates his chest from her dusky, pebbled nipples. He is a guest in this house and their privacy is in no way guaranteed. The danger of a person walking in on them sends a shiver down his spine. Korra is not afraid, and the challenge in her expression pulls him in. He swallows against his apprehensions and drops his lips to hers.

She wraps her arms around his shoulders and presses against him. His hands run over her sides, the dip of her back and over the swell of her ass, as he brings her flush against the hardness of his body. She smiles against his lips, touching him teasingly with her tongue, but retreating when he tries to deepen it. She toys with him through tantalizingly shallow kisses and small steps back, leading him until he presses her against the cool tile on the edge.

"That's a start." She says while pressing kisses against his lips, then down his jaw, to his neck. Her teeth graze against his pulse point and he surges against her.

"Getting there." He says as her mouth traces over his collar bone.

He strokes her sides from her hips up to the sides of her breasts and her fingers slip beneath the straps that cover him and trace along his shoulder blades. His eyes dart to the empty entryway over and over until he can no longer keep them open, with her teeth and her tongue on his skin and the water swirling around them.

He feels her hands trail down his body, over his ribs and to his hips where they dip beneath the thin belt holding his trunks at his waist. Her thumbs trace along his abs, following his hip bone. The wet fabric is tight against his body and her hands have very little room and the need to be touched is torture. He buries his face in the crook of her neck and she leans to the side. He breathes her name against wet skin and sucks at her gently. He brings a hand to her breast. His fingers slide over her skin so smoothly with the reduced friction. She arches back with the sensations, opening herself wider to him.

With a strong grip on her waist, he lifts her further up and out so that she reclines against polished glass. He kisses and licks down her neck and chest until he catches her breast and sucks gently at her nipple, caressing her with soft strokes of his tongue. Her fingers are tangled in his hair and her soft pants egg him on. He nudges her legs apart with a knee, straddling her leg and pressing intimately against her thigh.

He grips her waist in the water and pulls her right against him with a squeeze of her ass. He thrusts up, confined within the tight shorts, but relishing in the feelings of the warm girl in his arms. He gets a cheeky grin from her as a reward. He loves the pride she takes in driving him crazy. He loves how comfortable she has become so quickly and can't believe he gets to see this side of her. It's not perfect yet, but it's getting there.

He touches her gently, between her legs, and thrills at her sharp breath and the way she tenses throughout her body. He strokes softly, from top to bottom and she quickly relaxes. The water makes it all so smooth and slick; the cool a drastic contrast to the heat against his fingers. She roughly pulls his head up into a messy kiss and slides further down into the water. His hand cups around her; his fingers sliding up and down, pressing more firmly and further in with each pass. Korra whispers encouragements between open mouth kisses, "Yes. Bo, Yes." When he slowly sinks his finger inside her, she lets out a throaty moan that brings a chill of fear in his chest. He kisses her to muffle the sound and checks the door again.

They are still alone, and he lets out a sigh of relief until he notices laughing blue eyes looking up at him.

"Scared, Bo?" she says and runs a bare leg up his calf all the way to his hip. She tightens around his finger and he shudders, imagining another part of his anatomy in its place.

His grin is sheepish as he kisses her sweetly. He gives a long, slow pump of his hand and guides her leg around his waist. "Maybe a little." He says, rocking her hips in time with his movements. "Not sure how long we'll be alone."

"Stop playing around, then." She says and dominates the kiss. She slides down in front of him, dislodging his fingers and forcefully tugs at the shirt of his swim costume, which does not budge easily.

"Off. Now." She says and he rushes to comply. It is made of two components, not easily removed while soaking wet and in an extreme state of arousal, but he manages to peal the tight fabric away. Her hands grab at the bottoms, a little over zealous in his physical state, and as she rips them down, he hisses in discomfort. She lets go immediately, jerking away for a moment. She presses against him, slowly, and hugs him. Her breasts flatten against his chest and she rises on her toes to press a soft kiss beneath his ear.

"Sorry." She says, a soft color blooms in her cheeks and she rubs her hands down his side. Hesitantly, she reaches between them and cups him, running soft fingers along the underside of his cock. She tugs his head down and he meets her in a tender kiss that is all together perfect. He can't stand it and wraps his arms around her, hugging her tight and trapping her.

"S'alright," he says and presses her against the wall again, kissing her desperately.

"Korra," he says. "You're so damn amazing." He loses himself in her soft skin, her firm body, her shallow breaths, and her strong legs wrapping around his hips again with no barrier to block the feel of her. He rubs against her, and it is perfect. He is sliding against her, so close, just slightly pressing into her until she tilts her hips just right and he slips inside. He loosens his grip, letting her slip down and the cool water is replaced with tight heat. He watches their joining bodies through the water, the image dancing in waves they create.

She pulls him up to her again, rocking her hips in a way that makes his eyes roll back and he thrusts into her. He has no room left for thoughts or fear. There is only Korra and her hands on his shoulders, on his neck, and in his hair. There are only her legs, wrapped around him, and her hips in his hands, rocking with every thrust. It is glorious heat and wet and friction and he is murmuring adulations.

"So amazing, Korra." He buries his head in her shoulder. "So fucking amazing." He feels like he's climbing, moving steadily higher to the peak where he'll have no choice but to fall. Her soft moans vibrate through him and pressure builds inside him.

"The best." He says. "Fuck, Korra! The absolute best."

He is losing it, but he needs her to go off first. He tilts her hips, grabbing her knees and pressing them forward, folding her body and thrusting up quickly. He hits a spot deep inside her and she braces herself with her arms and lays her head back against the tile, moaning in abandon. Her fingers splay across the glass and her head whips from side to side and she is begging for release.

He's so close and desperately, his reaches between them, stroking her along with his wild thrusts and she goes off beautifully. Her back arches and her entire body snaps tight and rhythmic spasms encase him. Relief washes over him and the tightly bundled coil of nerves in the tip of his cock sends electricity down to his balls and he lets go with a groan; he feels like he is flying.

He pants against her skin, his heart banging against his ribs and his head too heavy to lift. He could drift down into the water so easily if not for the strong hands that have found their way back to his neck, holding him in place. He kisses her wherever his lips can reach, hugging her tight. His foggy mind replays the moment, straight out of his fantasies. He jerks a bit, recalling the words he spoke and finds the strength to look at her face. He expects to see questions, perhaps jealousy, but Korra is always full of surprises. She is content, sated, and perhaps a little proud. He wonders if she did not notice that which he did not intend to share, lost in the moment. He hopes so.

If she had, he wonders, surely there would be some sort of reaction.

She pulls him down, pressing a chaste kiss to his lips and moving to stand. She grabs his hand and grins at him, and he feels the tightness leave his chest.

"Come on," she says. "We'd better hurry before someone comes looking." She points across the way where a piece of his swimsuit has floated and heads in a different direction to grab another. He swims quickly to grab the piece of clothing, his shirt, and wonders absently if his ass sticks out of the water. Korra is out and bending the water away from her skin and hair as he turns around, his trunks laying in a heap by her feet. She winks at him, and dresses quickly, tugging on her boots and jumping off towards the entrance.

"See you outside!" she says with a grin and a wave and he swims to the edge, watching her run off with his head on his arms. Things may not be perfect, yet, but Bolin has faith that they are getting close. He can see the goal ahead and trusts that eventually, they will get there together.

* * *

The next day, he learns that Korra has accused Hiroshi Sato of involvement with The Equilists. The police force will launch an investigation of the industrialist and search all factories and warehouses tied to Future Industries. Korra, as the avatar, will assist Police Chief Beifong and Councilman Tenzin in the hopes of finding evidence to condemn the father of Asami Sato, because currently, there is none. Mako is furious. Asami is hurt, and he is confused. It just can't be true, so what is Korra thinking? Hadn't she had fun yesterday? Hadn't she let go and given Asami a chance? Hadn't they shared something that made him quake on the inside. She had felt it too. He is sure she had. He'd seen it so clearly there in the water.

Korra has absolutely no evidence to support her claim. What can be her reason?

Only one reason comes to mind, and the room feels as though it is quickly running out of air. His breathing is short and suddenly, he's standing on top of the arena with flowers in his hands and his heart on his sleeve. Water has a way of distorting an image, bending it. He'd seen it all so clearly, but it seems as though he's missed the mark.


End file.
